Playing OviPets, an online pet breeding & genetics game, hundreds of gamers have contributed to raising more than $10,000 for snow leopard conservation. OviPets is an online pet game focused on genetics and breeding. In the world of OviPets, players are able to adopt, raise and care for pets, much like they would for live animals. […]

Blog

Not Playing Around: How an Online Gaming Community Raised $10k for Snow Leopards

November 6, 2013

Playing OviPets, an online pet breeding & genetics game, hundreds of gamers have contributed to raising more than $10,000 for snow leopard conservation.

OviPets is an online pet game focused on genetics and breeding. In the world of OviPets, players are able to adopt, raise and care for pets, much like they would for live animals. There’s an important twist though: OviPets players can breed new pets according to the principles of genetics, which allows them to create new species and mutations of species in various colors and shapes.

a snow leopard family in OviPets

Thousands of players have picked up the game since it was launched in 2012 – and they all share a love for animals. Maria Wallin and Andreas Bernhardsson, the directors of IdzTech, the company behind OviPets, saw an enormous potential in this community: “Our goal has always been to be able to give some real life help to animal species in need all across our planet. We want to make it easy for people to help, and what easier way then through playing a game that you like?”, Maria says.

an OviPets snow leopard

Teaming up with the Snow Leopard Trust, OviPets launched a Charity Run, a special in-game feature where players were invited to turn a “Catus” a standard virtual feline species in the game, into a snow leopard – adding the black and white fur, larger paws and characteristic long tail of the “Ghost of the Mountain”, among other traits. The profit from the in-game credits players had to purchase in order to be able breed their own snow leopards would be donated to snow leopard conservation.

For non-gamers, most of this probably sounds pretty abstract; like a fantasy even. And we’ll admit it: When OviPets contacted us and offered to team up tor raise funds for the cats, our expectations were modest. Then again, even Maria Wallin herself didn’t dare to think of such an outcome. “This was our very first charity run”, says Maria Wallin, “and we couldn’t have dreamed about a more positive response from our players!” More than 200 players earned a special in-game badge of honor for their contributions, and many others helped.

While OviPets may be set in a virtual world, the result of the players’ passion is very real: In two weeks, the OviPets community raised a total of $10,234.67 for snow leopard conservation!

I think its really nice to be raising money for something you believe could be better. I’m an animal lover and to hear this just makes me happy and I want to thank you for being such caring people.

November 7, 2013, 5:08 am

Sydney says:

This is wonderful! I myself have been playing for nearly a year and a half. Everyone loved this and we all picked it up very quickly. I think I am speaking for everyone that plays, we loved to help and we are proud of it!

November 7, 2013, 5:48 am

Helen Angelica says:

I am so happy to read this, I am playing this game, and I did many of these leopard mutations as we call it, to be able to donate to you! I got the achievement of the special in-game badge of honor for doing this.

It really warms my heart to see how much the OVI community manage to gather up in only two weeks!
I am so proud to even have been in on this, to say that I helped a little.
Wish it was more people that would do this for the leopards we have left in our world.

Also to read how it can help you to run 10 eco-camps over two years for over 130 children each year, is just amazing.

I am a player of ovi pets but sadly was an unpaid member…i must say though many of my BEST friends on this game helped and im so glad that ovi did this i couldnt EVER THINK OF A BETTER GAME! I meet lots of friends and they help each other like nothing you can imagin and its true even me a 13 (now lol its my birthday today XD) loves animals AND insects …iv saved 18 pigeons now loved em all and i never gave up on any of them!

Playing Ovipets is something that I do with my 7 and 4 year old daughters. When they saw this charity they went nuts. Both of them spend quite a bit of time watching the discovery channel and tell me they want to grow up to be either marine biologists or something of the like. This was something my husband and I did for their early birthday presents along with helping out a few other endangered species through other places.

November 7, 2013, 1:47 pm

Mary says:

wow :3 i was happy to hear i helped a little with <3 people making projects the leopard came out adorable i am happy i donated to helping the make leopard projects and happy ovipets made :3 the money

November 7, 2013, 1:58 pm

Morgan M says:

As a gamer who gives annually to the SLT, it’s fantastic to hear something like this. Many thanks, wonderful OviPets players, for contributing! This is so excellent, I love it.

November 7, 2013, 4:44 pm

Jessie says:

I am a player of this game and even though i was unable to splice. I did 3 hours of turn quite a bit of egg each day to get credits and help those making the project. as well as buy a few projects.

I am very proud of ovi players for raising over 10,000 in funds to help the snow leopards. and look forward to future Charity Events

this is so amazing thanks to everyone who participated i cant wait for more charitable events its outstanding that there are so many great people on ovipets please join our Rapidly growing Community at ovipets.com

November 7, 2013, 5:04 pm

RueRajaram says:

Hi, guys! I am one of the players from the game, RueRajaram is my screen name. And I just wanted you guys to know how FUN this was for all of us! We had a blast, and are enjoying our Leos (What we have dubbed the adorable balls of fur!). I am an admin (Just like on FB, I help run it) on one of the larges groups on Ovi, so I have gotten to see this thoroughly sweep through the game. Thank you for giving us the chance to make an impact for the amazing animals. Many eyes were opened throughout Ovi about Snow Leos, and awareness goes a long way, as you guys know! We are already looking forward to the next Charity mutations, although we don’t have any clue what they are, we are making guesses! We are all proud and honored to be apart of this long term movement for Snow Leos!
With much love from the Ovi World,
Andrea
PS: Keep up the great work guys!

OMG so happy that ovipets did this , i am a player but i can not buy the mute, but some of my friends helped out!

November 10, 2013, 7:06 pm

Predawnisland says:

Even though I hadnt researched far enough ahead to be able to splice one of these cuties, I had bought quite a few and have seriously fallen in love with these beautiful creatures! (both the online and real life version) I am really proud of ovi and everyone involved who helped show that even tho we are gamers we also have big hearts!

I am also a player of Ovipets! I love how we all worked together and such. I didn’t splice since I didn’t research catus sadly, but it was over before I had a chance for a friend to splice it XD Although, I did buy credits!

I became a paid member on OviPets just so I could research the Snow Leopard splices and help the Snow Leopards they are by far my favorite animal and I would jump and the chance to help them

November 12, 2013, 5:36 pm

Emily says:

I have been playing Ovipets for a few years now. This is the first charity event we have done (that I know of) but I LOVED it! And I am a cat lover so I spend every last credit (money) I had to be able to give the snow leopards as much money as possible.

I was so happy we were able to donate without giving real money because I’m not old enough to give real money so this was a perfect way! And the results warm my heart! I am so happy we made a difference <3

Just started playing a few weeks ago am now addicted to it and a paid member, love the game and love all the cool people I have met while playing .. it really is an amazing game and teaches genetics to people, people from all age groups play this game it’s amazing … I have friends from all over the world !!!! LOVE OVIPETS

November 24, 2014, 7:20 pm

Wyndbain says:

Omg i love that game!! I was a part of that too!!! I was giving credits for people to splice snow leopard mutes XD i gave about 1000 credits in that time